


Alteration in Consciousness

by 852_Prospect_Archivist



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Drama, Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-11 04:50:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/794138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/852_Prospect_Archivist/pseuds/852_Prospect_Archivist





	Alteration in Consciousness

## Alteration in Consciousness

by Brak

Author's webpage: <http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Academy/2455/xfic.html>

* * *

Blair woke groggily to the sound of the phone ringing. He stumbled into the kitchen and fumbled with the receiver. 

"Hello?" he said, sparing a look at the clock. Who the hell could be calling him at 3 AM? 

"Sandburg. It's Simon. Look, kid, you'd better get down here right away." 

"Is Jim OK?" Blair asked, instantly coming awake. Jim had told him that nothing was likely to happen on the stakeout tonight and urged him to catch up on his sleep. 

"Well, I'm not sure." Banks sounded strange. 

"What do you mean you're not sure?" 

"He got dosed with some kind of weird gas. We're still trying to find out exactly what it was. We know he's conscious. He's just acting erratically." 

"How erratically?" Blair asked, taking the cordless phone back into his room so he could begin dressing. 

"He tried to shoot Rafe." 

"What?" Blair asked in shock. 

"Yeah, and he missed, thank God." 

"Oh shit he really must be out of it. So, I guess no one can get close to him." 

No, we can't. He's asking for you." 

"I'll be there as soon as I can. It's the Rhose Pharmaceuticals warehouse on Vine, right?" 

"That's the place." 

"I'll be there as soon as I can." 

"Thanks, Blair." 

Blair turned the phone off and hung it back up. He headed out the door and down the stairs. 

"It's just a stakeout, Chief." Blair muttered to himself. "We probably won't even move in tonight. You should get your rest." 

"Dammit, Jim!" he said a bit louder as he climbed into his car. 

When Blair arrived he saw the prisoners being loaded into a police wagon. 

"Well, at least they made the arrest." He said to himself. 

He saw Simon approaching. 

"Sandburg, thank God you're here. He's going nuts in there." 

"Do you know what he got dosed with?" Blair asked. 

"We know the name, but no one here knows what it is. We're trying to get in touch with someone from the company, but it's so late we're having some trouble." 

"Ok, let me go in there." 

"Put this on first," Simon said, handing Blair a Kevlar vest. 

"Why?" 

"Because he's in there shooting at cops," Simon said. "He might not recognize you. Who knows what's going through his mind right now?" 

Blair obliged the captain. 

"OK, Brown will take you to him." 

Blair followed closely behind Brown. 

"You really think you can talk him out of here, hair boy?" Brown asked. 

"Don't know. Gotta try, though." 

Blair was led past rows of boxes and gas canisters until they reached the back of the poorly lit warehouse, where he spotted Jim under a small table. 

"He's been under there since he got gassed," Brown explained. "Anyone who gets close gets shot at." 

"Jim." Blair called out. "Jim, can you hear me?" 

"Blair?" Jim's voice was shaky. "Is that you, Chief?" 

"Yeah, Jim it's me. Is it OK if I come closer?" 

"Sure." 

Blair slowly stepped out from behind the boxes that he and Brown had been using for shelter. 

"I'm coming over, Jim. Everything's OK." 

Blair made his way to the table and crawled under. He was immediately pulled into a hug. 

"Where were you?" Jim asked. 

"Home asleep, remember? You told me nothing would happen tonight." 

"Oh, yeah." Jim gave him a dopey grin. "Sorry." 

He released Blair from the embrace and gave him a once over. 

"Why are you wearing that?" he asked. 

"What? The vest?" 

Jim nodded his head. 

"You were shooting at people." 

"Only the bad guys," Jim said defensively. 

"Then why were you shooting at Rafe?" 

"Who?" 

"You know, Jim. Rafe. He works with you at the station. Tall, dark and handsome. Dresses like the cover of GQ." 

"Oh yeah. I know him." Jim said. "He's a bad guy?" 

Blair stared dumbfounded for a moment. What the hell had Jim been inhaling? He sounded like a five year old. 

"No, Jim, he's not a bad guy. He was trying to get you out of here." 

"Can't leave. The bad guys are out there. They want to hurt me." 

"No, they're all gone Jim." 

"Are you sure?" Jim asked, cocking his head. 

'Oh, God,' Blair thought. 'He looks absolutely adorable. Something tells me this is going to be a long night.' 

Blair had long been harboring romantic feelings for his partner, but had never said anything. He had long ago contented himself to suffering the pangs of unrequited love in silence. Jim was his friend and he'd have to settle for that. But there were times like these, even when Jim wasn't strung out on some weird gas, when he just looked positively cute. They were rather infrequent, but at times like these Blair had to fight with all that he had to keep from kissing that big goofy grin off Jim's face. 

"Yes, I'm sure, Jim. I saw them all being loaded into the wagon." 

Jim looked as if he were thinking about what Blair had said. A moment later he got out from under the table and began leaving the building. 

Blair had to run to catch up. "Wait for me, Jim." 

"Oh, sorry!" Jim said, turning and stopping to wait for Blair to catch up. When Blair finally did, Jim slung a muscled arm around Blair's shoulders and led him outside. 

When they exited the building they were rushed by paramedics. A tall, EMT put an arm on Blair's shoulder to guide him away from Jim to make the examination easier. Blair was immediatley pulled away by Jim, who practically barked and growled at the hapless EMT. 

"My Blair!" he shouted to the startled young man. "Get your own." 

"Easy, Big Guy," Blair said in as soothing a voice as possible. "He's not taking me anywhere. They just need to get a look at you." 

Jim turned Blair around in his arms and looked at him. "Promise?" Jim asked. 

"I promise." 

"OK," Jim said, and bent down for quick peck on the lips before turning and following the EMT. 

Every cop in the area did a double take. Blair turned beet red. "It's just the gas." He said weakly. 

Just then, Jim appeared in front of him. "Oh, I forgot." he said, taking Blair's hand. "You have to come with me." And Blair found himself being dragged over to a waiting ambulance. 

While the EMT's were checking out Jim, Simon walked over. 

"We found out what he got dosed with," he said. "It's a new anesthetic gas they were working on. But they scrapped the project because too many people had atypical side effects." 

"What kind of side effects?" 

Simon gestured toward Jim. "Alteration in consciousness, behavioral regression, and um... increased sexual drive." 

"Say again?" Blair asked. 

"He's high and he's horny." 

"Oh, terriffic." 

"Tell me about it. Think you can handle him?" 

Blair felt his face catch fire as he turned the darkest shade of red he had ever been. "What?" 

"Do you think you can take care of him for tonight? He's a big guy, he might be hard to control in this situation." 

"Oh." Blair said, taking deep breaths. "Yeah, I think we'll be fine." 

"You OK, Sandburg?" 

"I'm fine. No problem." 

"Well, he checks out all right," the EMT said. "Whatever this is, it's not screwing with his vitals. Just let it cycle out of his system and he should be fine. Did they tell you how it's excreted?" 

"In the urine," Simon said. 

"OK, then have him drink lots of fluids. And caffeine. It's a diuretic." 

"All right," Blair said. "So, I can take him home?" 

"No problem," the EMT said. "But make sure to take him to the hospital if he gets worse." 

"I'll do that," Blair said. He turned to Jim. "Come on, Jim. Let's get you to bed, huh?" 

"Will you come with me?" Jim asked him. 

Blair let out a low moan. Long wouldn't even begin to describe this night. 

Blair drove them home in Jim's truck, trying valiantly to ignore Jim's attempts at snuggling. 

"Damn, Jim! Stay on your side. You'll run us off the road." 

Jim pulled away and faced out the window. "Sorry," he mumbled. 

"Aww, Jim, don't do that," Blair said when he realized that "Jim Ellison: Big, Macho Cop" was pouting. 

Figuring that humoring him would be the best option, Blair switched gears. "It's OK, Jim. Just wait until we get home OK?" 

Jim turned to face him, and the big goofy grin was back. "OK!" 

No sooner had Blair closed the loft door then found himself, once again, wrapped in Jim's arms. Jim dragged him over to the couch and began snuggling in earnest. 

"Hmmm." Jim's voice was a low rumble. "You're so cuddly. Did I ever tell you that before?" 

"Uh... no." Blair squeaked out. 

"Well, you are." 

"Uh... Jim. Jim? Jiiiim!" Blair's voice rose as Jim began licking his neck. "Jim, you, oh God, you like, ahh, really need to stop that." 

Jim pulled away. "You don't like it?" He looked crushed. 

"Why don't we just sit here and watch TV or something huh?" 

Jim didn't look convinced. "No, I'm goin' to bed. You don't like me." He got up off the couch and began heading upstairs. 

"Jim! Jim come on! I like you!" Blair yelled after Jim, following him upstairs. "Don't feel bad Jim." 

"You said we could snuggle," Jim said. 

'Dear God, what the hell have I gotten myself into? I should've just let him go upstairs and sleep this off. But no, I had to open my big mouth and come into his bedroom! You're stupid Sandburg. Ph.D work notwithstanding, you're an idiot!' "Um...Yeah, I did. I just didn't expect you to y'know... lick me." 

"Oh," Jim said. "Sorry." 

"It's OK, Jim." What was this, the third or fourth time he'd had this conversation tonight? It didn't matter though. He sat on the bed next to Jim, who immediately picked up where he'd left off downstairs. 

"Ah ah, no licking remember." Blair said. 

"Oh, sorry," Jim said. Then he bent slightly down and pressed a kiss to Blair's temple. 

"That OK?" 

"Jim, I really think we shouldn't kiss either. How about we just hug, huh?" 

Blair wasn't sure how much of this night Jim would remember, but he knew Jim would be horrified if he thought he had forced himself on Blair. And Blair wasn't about to take advantage of Jim's chemically induced randiness for his own gain. Jim would never forgive him for that. And almost as important, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. 

"Just hug?" Jim asked, sounding a bit pathetic. 

"Yeah, I uh... I have a headache, and it's late y'know? I'm tired." 

"Oh," Jim said. "OK then. We'll just hug." 

"Good. How about we both get ready for bed now?" Blair asked. With any luck Jim would be asleep before he got back upstairs. 

"OK," Jim said. "Then we can cuddle some more?" 

Blair supressed a groan. Why, oh, why was this happening? He'd been good. He hadn't pissed anyone off lately. What had he done to deserve this torture? 

"Yes, Jim," He finally said. "Then we can cuddle some more." 

Blair went downstairs, locked everything up and changed into sweats. He filled a pitcher with water and brought a glass upstairs for Jim. He nearly dropped it at the sight of Jim in nothing but boxers. 

"I'm ready for bed," Jim said, smiling. 

'That's it!' Blair thought to himself. 'This Christmas, that man is getting a pair of pajamas.' 

Blair managed to compose himself and pour a glass of water. "Here, Jim. Drink this. It'll help flush that chemical out of your system." 

Jim took the glass from Blair and downed it in one gulp. 

As soon as Blair put the pitcher safely down on the nightstand, he felt himself being pulled onto the bed. 

"Time to cuddle!" Jim said excitedly. He spooned himself around Blair and planted a kiss on his head. 

"Jim," Blair said in a warning tone. 

"Oh, right. No kissing. Sorry," Jim said. 

They lay there like that, Jim moving back and forth ever so slightly. Blair could feel Jim's erect penis poking him in the small of his back. Just when he thought that was torture enough, Jim began sniffing his hair. It was exquisitely erotic. Jim took deep breaths in and let each out with the most contented sigh Blair had ever heard. 

"You smell so nice," Jim said. "Did I ever tell you that you smell nice?" 

Blair was silent. 

"No, I probably didn't. But you do." 

"Uh... Thanks, I guess," Blair rasped. 'I won't think about this, I won't think about this, I won't think about this,' Blair chanted over and over in his mind. 'I refuse to think about how good this feels.' 

When he was finished sniffing, Jim held Blair even tighter. 

"Hmmm." There was the satisfied rumble again. Blair could feel the vibrations of Jim's chest against his back. 

Just then, Blair felt himself being turned in Jim's arms. He soon found himself resting on Jim's very large, very naked chest. 

He surveryed his new point of view. The expanse of tight skin over hard muscle stretched out before him. And there it was. Not 6 inches away. A perfect little nipple, just sitting there by his mouth. It would be so easy to just take that little bit of flesh and suck on it. All he had to do was move a few inches. Jim wouldn't object. 

'NO! Not like this. I won't have you like this, Jim. I won't do that to you. Or to myself. It's all or nothing Big Guy and you've gotta be 100% conscious.' 

"I love you, Blair," Jim murmured. "Why didn't I ever say that before? It's true y'know? I love you a lot." Jim heaved a loud sigh. "I have since almost the day I met you," Jim yawned. 

Blair felt as if he'd been stabbed in the heart. He'd wanted to hear those words for years. He'd dreamed of it. He'd rehearsed it in his head hundreds of times. Maybe even thousands. He'd thought of what Jim would say, and what he would say. But what could he say now? How would Jim react tomorrow if Blair told him the truth? 

'I could blow it off. I could tell him I was just humoring him,' Blair thought. 'No. I couldn't make light of something like that. I could tell him I meant it in another way. I could just say I meant it in a brotherly friendship kind of way. He'd buy that. I know he feels that way about me too. He might rib me a little, but I could handle that.' 

"I uh, I love you too, Jim." 

"Really?" Jim asked. "Love me a lot?" 

Blair groaned. "Yeah, Jim," He said with exasperation, "I love you a lot." 

"OK then." Jim said, sounding quite pleased with himself. 

Jim pulled him tighter, and Blair gave in to the urge to hug him back. Blair snuggled deeper into Jim's chest. 'Might as well make the best of this,' he thought to himself. 

"Hmmm. That's nice," Jim said lazily. 

"Sleepy?" Blair asked. 

"A little." 

"Why don't you try and rest?" 

"You'll stay?" 

"Yeah, Jim. I'll stay." 

"OK. Night, Blair." 

"Night, Jim." 

They lay in silence and Blair tried to fall asleep. Just when he thought Jim had finally gotten to sleep, he heard his friend's voice. 

"Blair?" 

"Yeah, Jim?" 

"Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?" 

Blair felt tears come up with that question. "Uh... No, Jim. You didn't." His voice was shaky. 

"Well, you're beautiful," Jim said. 

"Thanks, Jim. You're uh... you're pretty nice looking yourself." 

"Love you," Jim said. 

"Love you too." 

Blair wasn't sure when Jim fell asleep, but nothing more was said that night. The next thing Blair knew he was awakened to the sound of Jim moaning. Jim's grip had loosened, but Blair found that a strong arm was still wrapped around him. 

"Ooooooh," Jim said. 

"Jim?" Blair asked. "Jim, you OK?" 

"My head," Jim groaned. 

"Hurts?" Blair asked. 

"Just shoot me now," Jim moaned. "My gun's under my pillow, just make it stop." 

"I'm not going to shoot you, Jim," Blair said. "Remember the dials. Just dial it down, and I'll go get you some aspirin." 

"OK, right. Dials. I can do dials." 

When Blair returned with the pills, Jim's grimace had eased. 

"Dials working?" Blair asked as he handed Jim the pills and some water. 

"Yeah, it's OK. I don't suppose there's a humiliation dial?" 

Blair couldn't help but smile. "How much do you remember?" 

"All of it. God, Blair did I really almost shoot Rafe?" 

"Yeah," Blair said. 

"I should send him a card. Or maybe some of that chocolate he likes." 

"Maybe," Blair said. 

"And I kissed you," Jim said. "In front of everyone." 

Blair nodded. 

"I'm so sorry," Jim said. "And all that stuff when we got home. Oh, Blair, I'm so sorry. You know I'd never do anything like that." 

"I know, Jim, I know. It's OK. You weren't you. I understand." Blair tried to keep the hurt out of his words. 

"I mean, I don't want you to think I'd force you like that. I'd never do that to you. You've gotta believe me." 

"I believe you, Jim." 

"Oh, God. And the way your heart was racing last night. You must have been scared to death. What kind of a monster am I?" 

"Jim, listen. It's OK." 

"How could I have done that to you? I can't believe I, I forced myself on you." 

"JIM!" Blair yelled. Jim snapped his head around to face Blair. "It's OK. You didn't do anything wrong." 

"But I made you stay here like that. I almost made you have sex with me last night." 

"But you didn't." 

"And if I had?!" Jim challenged. 

"Then you'd be the only one feeling bad about it!" 'Oh, God please tell me I didn't just say what I think I said.' 

"What?" 

'Shit, I did, didn't I?' "I, uh... I wouldn't have minded so much." Blair said softly and got up to leave. He couldn't face Jim. Not after that admition. He had to get out. He'd almost made it to the stairs when Jim called out to him. 

"Blair!" 

"Yeah?" he said, turning to face Jim, but keeping his head down. 

"Do you mean that?" He asked gently. 

"Yeah, Jim. I do." 

"Good," Jim said as Blair headed down the stairs. 

"What?" Blair turned to face Jim again. 

"I, uh... I meant everything I said last night. I may have been out of it, but that was all one hundred percent the truth." 

"You mean you..?" 

"I mean, I love you Blair. I thought I'd never say it. I thought you wouldn't want to hear it. But last night I said it, and I meant it." 

Blair walked slowly back to Jim. He looked him in the eye, not an easy thing to do when standing next to someone five inches taller than you. "You really mean that?" 

"Yeah, Blair, I do. I love you. Almost from the day I met you." 

Blair put his arms around Jim and held on tight. "I love you too, Jim. I never thought I'd hear you say it." Jim put his arms around Blair and squeezed tight. 

"Now that I know you like it so much, I'll say it all the time," he said. 

The embrace loosened and they sat on the bed together. Sitting helped to equalize the height difference and their lips met for their first kiss. It was slow and soft. Jim's mouth was warm and inviting. Blair poured everything he had into that kiss. It was full of passion, yet gentle at the same time. When they finally parted, Blair had the urge to look in the mirror to see if he was as changed as he felt. In one moment the world had fallen into place. The puzzle was completed and the picture was Jim Ellison smiling on his bed wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. 

Blair was broken from his reverie by the sound of the phone ringing. 

"That'll be Simon," Blair said. "Probably wants to know how you're doing." 

"I'll tell him my head hurts all over, but Blair was just about to kiss it and make it better." Jim said with a smile. 

Blair gave him a light slap. "Don't you dare!" 

The phone continued to ring. "Stay here. I'll be right back." Jim said. "I'll see if I can weasel a day off out of him." 

Blair smiled. Blair heard Jim's voice downstairs but couldn't make out the words. He listened as Jim hung up the phone, made a stop at the bathroom, then headed back upstairs. 

"Success!" Jim proclaimed triumphantly when he reached the top of the stairs. "I don't have to be in till tomorrow." 

Jim sat next to Blair on the bed and gently eased them both down. When they were both comfortable, Jim leaned over and kissed Blair thoroughly. "I've been waiting forever to do that," he sighed. 

"You can do it whenever you want," Blair replied. 

Jim smiled. 

They both lay there for a long time, kissing, and cuddling and stroking each other's bodies softly. 

"I love you, Blair." 

"I love you too, Jim. So much." 

Blair, for all his experience with both sexes, had very little idea where to go from that point. He loved Jim, Jim loved him, and if the way Jim was handling this whole thing was any indication, his soon-to-be lover had at least some experience with men. But they would handle this like they handled everything else. They would figure it out together, and they would deal with it together. 

And it would be good, and beautiful and sweet. 

End 


End file.
